The present invention generally relates to floor maintenance machines and particularly to handle assemblies for floor maintenance machines.
The sale of floor maintenance machines is highly competitive. Thus, there is always a need to minimize the cost of floor maintenance machines while maximizing the features present. Features such as locking out unintentional actuation of the floor maintenance machine increase the marketability but can increase costs due to increased complexity of the floor maintenance machine. Cost reductions can be accomplished by several methods including reducing the number of components, increasing the ease of assembly, reduction in the costs of manufacture of the components including but not limited to reduction in capital costs such as for molds, fabrication from less expensive material, and the like.
It is then an object of the present invention to provide a novel handle assembly for floor maintenance machines.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a novel handle assembly including a novel device for adjustably locking the handle in one of a plurality of pivotable positions relative to the machine housing.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a novel handle assembly having a novel foot-operated lever.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a novel handle assembly having a foot-operated camming lever maintained in a desired position relative to the handle pole.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a novel handle assembly having a novel lock-out device for preventing unintentional actuation of the floor maintenance machine.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a novel handle assembly having a lock-out device slideable in a straight, linear direction.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a novel handle assembly having a lock-out device including integral biasing members.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a novel handle assembly aiding in the prevention of cracking of the handle housing at its interconnection to the handle pole.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a novel handle assembly having oppositely extending hand grips integrally formed solely with one housing section.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a novel handle assembly having a significantly reduced number of components.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a novel handle assembly which is easy to assemble.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a novel handle assembly having reduced costs of manufacture.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a novel handle assembly having integral hand grips of a solid construction.
These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of this invention described in connection with the drawings.